Pope Leo XIV‘s childhood home in Illinois was quickly yanked off the market just hours after conclave—when the owner, who had listed the home for just $199,000, realized he could “make a larger profit” in the wake of its former resident’s appointment as the leader of the Catholic church.
The eyes of the world were fixated on the Sistine Chapel on May 8, when white smoke began billowing from its chimney, indicating that a new pope had been selected on the second day of the historic religious process.
Soon after, Chicago-born cardinal Robert Francis Prevost stepped out onto the Vatican balcony, his first appearance as the newly appointed Pope Leo XIV.
Leo XIV made history when he replaced Pope Francis, who died on April 21, 2025, becoming the first American to ever serve in the role—news that quickly prompted a frenzy of excitement, particularly in Dolton, IL, the small Chicago suburb where Prevost was raised.
Focus quickly turned to the small three-bedroom, three-bathroom abode in which the Prevost family spent many years during his childhood, with property records revealing that the dwelling had actually been listed for sale in January with an asking price of $219,000.
The property, which is listed under an LLC, offers 1,200 square feet of living space and has a humble exterior surrounded by lush greenery.
Inside, there is an open floor plan that accentuates the main living area and cozy fireplace.
The average-sized kitchen comes complete with a marble countertop and ample cabinet space.
After it was initially listed on Jan. 11, the property’s asking price was reduced by $14,000 to $205,000 on Jan. 17, before the owner—who had only purchased the home in May 2024—lowered his ask again to $199,000 on Feb. 14.
However, the property was removed from the market on May 9—just one day after the new leader of the Catholic Church was elected.
According to WGN News, the decision to delist the home was a very purposeful one, with the owner, who did not wish to be named, admitting that he realized he could “make a larger profit” on the dwelling given the very prominent new position its former resident now holds.
The owner added that he had purchased the home six or seven months ago with a goal of renovating its interior, then offering it up as a rental.
Donna Sagna, who has lived next door to the home for the last eight years, told the outlet that the current owner achieved his goal of overhauling the property, describing its interior as “beautiful.” However, she admitted that she hopes the house can serve a much loftier purpose than simply becoming a rented dwelling.
“It’s rehabbed and it’s beautiful inside,” Sagna said. “I hope it continues to be a historical place for us all … I think they should keep it as a beautiful, historic landmark for Illinois.”
Another resident told the outlet, “I was saying to my friends, look, the next pope could be from Dolton and they said, ope, they’ll never pick anybody from the United States. And sure enough, the one from Dolton wins.”
Dolton is not the only community in the U.S. to have ties to the new pope—whose maternal side of the family actually hails from New Orleans.
Jari Honora, a genealogist and historian for The Historic New Orleans Collection, discovered that the pope’s maternal grandparents once lived in the 7th Ward, a neighborhood that is known for its diverse culture, with mostly people of African, French, Spanish, and Native American descent residing there.
The pope also has connections to “Creole roots,” which date back to 1722 when the majority of Louisiana’s population was Roman Catholic.
“Our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, has Creole of color roots [sic] from New Orleans on his mother’s side! What a great connection for our local population! They left New Orleans and went to Chicago between 1910 and 1912.
“His grandparents were married in 1887 at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart on Annette Street. In 1900, his grandparents owned and lived at 1933 North Prieur Street, a site taken by the Claiborne overpass,” Honora shared on Facebook.
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DJ Kamal Mustafa
I’m DJ Kamal Mustafa, the founder and Editor-in-Chief of EMEA Tribune, a digital news platform that focuses on critical stories from Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Pakistan. With a deep passion for investigative journalism, I’ve built a reputation for delivering exclusive, thought-provoking reports that highlight the region’s most pressing issues.
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